Yesterday someone asked me what my favorite Spirit Halloween clown animatronic was. Man, that was a tough one. There are a lot of really fun clown props that Spirit has done. But, the question got me thinking, why not rank the top ten clown props? Sounds like fun, right?
Well, here we go.
Coming in at number ten is Wacky Mole. We first saw Wacky Mole in 2013 but Spirit brought him back in 2021 and 2022. I remember when he first came out I thought he was so cool, but when I brought him home, I was so disappointed that his mallet didn’t go up and down! Instead, he just turned side to side. Still, he was pretty imposing and a big grinning clown is pretty creepy! Wacky Mole gets extra points for how cool he looked with a black light.
Number nine Uncle Charlie Like Wacky Mole, Uncle Charley has made a few different appearances. In 2010 when he first came out, he was one of my favorites that year. That big top hat covering up his bright red hair really made Uncle Charlie stand out from some of the other props that I saw in 2010. Admit it, who doesn’t love a clown trying to give away free candy!
When Spirit brought good ol’ Uncle Charley back in 2020, they tweaked him a little and made him a little slimmer and he seemed less bulky.
Number eight in our countdown in Nozzles. Nozzles is a fairly new prop that came out last year. According to his backstory, he was a clown that had an accident at the circus and he wound up inhaling some poisonous smog. Since the horrible incident, he now goes around and sprays people with his fog.
At first when I saw nozzles, I thought he was creepy, but a week or so later, I was in a Spirit Halloween store and I saw a a five or six year old kid walking around laughing at all the props, but when he got to Nozzles, he started freaking out and hiding behind his mom.
Nozzles works really well in dimly lit rooms. He has light built into his nozzles that look pretty cool when he starts spraying his fog.
Number seven on the list is Mr Punchy. If there’s one things I’ve learned is that Mr. Punchy is controversial. Some people love him, but there are others who loathe him. He really stands out to me because he’s different and the big ball is part of him. In reality, he doesn’t do much except wobble back and forth, but to me Mr. Punchy isn’t a prop that you put out front and center, you put him in the background and let him do his thing. Either way, I always liked him and thought it was a clever spin on the overdone clown prop
Coming in at number six is Peek a Boo. Peek a Boo came out in 2020. Like Nozzles, I’ve seen some kids freak out when Peek a Boo is doing his thing. You know something is up before he is even activated. And when he he pulls back his hands and reveals his creepy hypnotizing eyes, Peek a Boo is at his best. When it comes to creepy clowns, it’s hard to go wrong with Peek a Boo.
We have made it to number five and four. It’s kind of a tie. Number five is Young Crouchy and number four is regular ol’ big Crouchy. The original crouch came out in 2019 and Spirit Halloween followed him up with a smaller version in 2022 with Young Crouchy. Both are pretty terrifying, but I have to give the nod to the original Crouchy. I’ve seen kids in the store wanting nothing to do with him when he’s activated!
Number three is Pennywise. While there are different versions, the one I’m referring to in this video is from 2019. That summer was the height of the Pennywise craze and naturally, Spirit Halloween was all over it. If I remember correctly, they sold out and got an additional shipment in in September. It didn’t last long and they were out again after a day or two. I have to be honest though, this isn’t the best prop I’ve ever seen, but if you were into animatronics in 2019, Pennywise was a first round draft pick all day!
Coming in at number two is Honky the Clown. When honky came out in 2011, It was love at first site. I snatched him up and brought him home. Even when Halloween was over, I kept him up in the man cave year round. All my buddies hated him, but I thought he was great, I still do!
Ok, number one. I know this might be a hot take but here we go.
The best clown animatronic by Spirit Halloween is Harriet Hustle. I was there at the Spirit Halloween flagship store for the grand opening in 2021 and Harriet jumped, well actually more ike swung right out at me. An upside down female clown with a knife in her mouth that is hanging upside down? Yes, please! That is straight up nightmare fuel. I know I have referenced seeing how kids interact with the animated clowns on the list, but I remember seeing a grown woman walk over and say, “That looks like they hired someone to hang there for the grand opening”.
Harriet Hustle is a fun clown prop and I think the creative way they presented her really puts her on top.
Honorable mention has to go to Harriet’s father, Henry Hustle.
I would’ve likely had him in my top ten but when he is activated and does his big reveal, you find out that he isn’t a clown after all. Kind of disappointing, I know.
So what do you think? What did I get wrong? Who do you think should be number one?
